lunatic fringe, the
lunatic fringe, the - A minority group who have what others consider very extreme beliefs. The term was first used (and perhaps coined) by Theodore Roosevelt in History as Literature (1913): “There is apt to be a lunatic fringe among the votaries of any forward movement.” At first used mainly for political extremists, the expression was later extended to other venues, as by Diana Ramsay in Deadly Discretion (1973): “Antique shops were magnets for the lunatic fringe.”
🌟 Related and Similar Terms:
- Eccentrics: People who have unconventional behavior or opinions.
- Outliers: Individuals or data points that fall far outside the norm.
- Mavericks: Independent-minded individuals.
- Radicals: People who advocate for complete political or social reform.
- Nonconformists: Those who refuse to follow popular customs or values.
🧠 Synonyms:
- Extremists
- Fanatics
- Rebels
- Outliers
- Visionaries (in a positive context)
😶 Antonyms:
- Conformists
- Traditionalists
- Mainstreamers
- Conventionalists
- Acceptable Majority
Quotes and Proverbs:
“Every generation laughs at the old fashions but follows religiously the new.” — Henry David Thoreau
“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes…” — Apple, Think Different Campaign
📚 Recommended Reads:
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
- The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce
- Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
🎬 Movie Picks:
- Forrest Gump (1994)
- Amélie (2001)
- Dead Poets Society (1989)
🎵 Tunes to Vibe:
- “Imagine” by John Lennon
- “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen
- “Weird Science” by Oingo Boingo
Poetry:
“Them theme inside his fevered brain, A lunatic’s refrain.” — Anonymous
Stay curious, embrace the odd, and question the status quo. The world needs its lunatics; they’re often the ones who bring color to life’s otherwise monochrome canvas.🖌️
— Maggie Wordsmith
